There are plenty of movie showtime apps for Android, and so many of them are alike that we think the one you wind up using will ultimately come down to your personal preference. That said though, we think that Fandango takes the prize for having the most up-to-date and most accurate movie showtimes available, along with the option to go ahead and buy tickets and pick them up at the theater using your Android phone.

Features

Searches for nearby theaters and showtimes using your phone's GPS and retrieve up-to-date showtimes, available tickets, and the option to purchase directly from your phone. Filter theaters based on amenities like stadium seating and IMAX.

Build a list of "favorite" theaters so you can quickly buy from the theater that's closest to you or your favorite theater, even if it's across town.

Find movies playing based on name, time and date, "opening this week" so you can plan in advance, and even "upcoming" movies, so you can buy tickets for movies announced but not out this week. If you're just in the mood for a film, use "Go Now" to see showtimes beginning in the next hour at your local theaters.

Read reviews from critics and users right next to the movie's description, runtime, and other essential information.

Pulls in Metacritic reviews so you can get a feel for the overall sentiment on the film before you decide to buy.

Allows you to buy tickets right on your phone, and then claim your tickets by scanning your phone at the theater.

Sends ticket and showtime information to your phone's calendar so you're alerted when the movie is about to start, and so you can share the calendar appointment with friends.

Rate and review movies after you've seen them, then post your films to Facebook.

Where It Excels

Fandango is fast, snappy, and has some of the most up-to-date and accurate movie showtimes we've seen. A lot of apps offer showtimes, but Fandango takes the cake because it also allows you to go ahead and buy your movie tickets without being shunted to another app, see movie reviews and scores before you buy, and even read fan reviews and commentary to help you decide whether that 174-minute runtime is worth sitting through. Combine the accurate showtimes and easy purchasing options with the ability to easily search for theaters across the street or across town and add them to a favorites list, and you have a must-install app. The option to browse all of the theaters in your area, and then book tickets for the one near your house when you're sitting at the office texting after-work plans with your friends on your smartphone is a winner in my book. Plus, if you're sitting at home and suddenly get a craving to see a film, you don't have to do a lot of planning to find a good one—just fire up Fandango to see which apps are starting in the next hour, buy your tickets, and head to the theater.

Where It Falls Short

There's not much to not like about the Fandango Android app, honestly. We couldn't come up with a single complaint. It works as advertised, and while it could add other features like the ability to share on more networks than Facebook or the option to find other amenities near movie theaters like bars and restaurants, we think it gets the core down perfectly: it gets you current, up-to-date movie showtimes, reviews and ratings, and lets you buy tickets in a snap.

The Competition

There are a ridiculous number of Android movie showtime apps—that's not an understatement. Before the big players were available for Android, there were dozens of smaller independent apps that scrubbed newspapers and other sites to compile their own listings, often wrapping them up in terrible UIs and failing to update the showtimes if they changed. The landscape has changed, but you'll notice that we won't discuss some of those apps here.

Very close to taking the top spot was AOL's Moviefone (Free), mostly because it offers many of the same features as Fandango, including the option to buy tickets. You can browse showtimes anywhere in the globe using your phone's GPS, read movie synopses and reviews, and watch trailers. The trouble with Moviefone is that its database is only updated daily, meaning some movies aren't listed, showtimes aren't always up to date, and ticket purchasing is limited to the theaters that support purchases through Moviefone—which is a lot, but not all, or as many as Fandango. Plus, frankly, the UI for the Moviefone Android app needs some updating.

Movies by Flixster (Free) is another great option—good enough on the iOS side to be our choice for the best. The Android version is just as good as the iOS version, but we think it doesn't quite measure up to the competition. That said, if your focus is on movie information and showtimes, it's a good option (or addition.) You can easily search for films opening this week, new or hot at the box office, or browse by name to see what's playing, read reviews from Rotten Tomatoes, your pick for movie suggestions, watch thousands and trailers from new and old films, read up on your favorite actors, and even built a "wishlist" of movies you'd like to see so you can review them later. Flixster also goes where Fandango doesn't, and lets you see when your favorite films are coming out on Blu-ray or DVD.

While showtimes aren't its core feature, the IMDB (Free) app for Android also offers a wealth of information on upcoming films and movies currently showing in theaters, and while the app's clear goal is to help you research those films, see who's in them, read reviews and watch trailers, and overall learn more about a movie, you can still browse nearby showtimes and see what's playing at the theaters near you. If you're the type who wants showtimes and nothing else—especially not ads—you can pick up the Movie Showtimes (Free) app for Android, which is no-nonsense, no-frills, just all the showtimes and films playing in the theaters you search for, basic information, a star review, and nothing else.

Like we said, we know this is the tip of the iceberg when it comes to movie showtime apps for Android. There are dozens more that offer similar features—or worse, claim to but don't. Do you have a favorite we didn't mention? Let us know in the comments.

Lifehacker's App Directory is a new and growing directory of recommendations for the best applications and tools in a number of given categories.